Category: Bay Area

Jude Law talks his new movie: ‘A story that needed to be told’ Vertical Entertainment Jude Law and Jurnee Smollett star in “The Order,” about the efforts by federal agents and police to bring down a violent White supremacist group. The heightened visibility and emboldened activity of America’s white supremacist movement elevates the chilling topicality of Australian director Justin Kurzel’s “The Order,” a potent thriller and cautionary historical tale about a real-life manhunt and a 1980s Pacific Northwest hate group that committed a rash of violent heists and robberies and was tied to the murder […] Originally Published: December 5, 2024 at 6:15 AM PST

Jennifer Blalack already had nursed her husband back to health after a lymphoma diagnosis and helped care for her dying mother when her elderly father — a widower with a host of medical and mobility issues — moved into her Morgan Hill home. Like so many Americans thrust into full-time caregiving roles for aging parents, Blalack, 66, was committed to her 96-year-old father by love and duty. She set up a guest room with a sliding door to the garden, arranged all his doctor appointments, maintained all his prescriptions, lugged his wheelchair in and out of the car and, every evening, played crossword puzzles with him to keep his mind sharp. Jennifer Blalack, 66, takes her father, Hamish Scott Knight, 96, to the post office in Morgan Hill, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2024. The nonprofit Sourcewise has provided resources to help her cope with the challenges of being a caregiver. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)  But during their first few months together, she found herself overwhelmed and “in a very dark space.” Uncertain where to turn, she called 211 — the mental health and community resource

Similar language changes have been approved in Berkeley, Oakland and San Jose A drone view of the new Contra Costa County Administration Building in downtown Martinez, Calif., on Tuesday, July 9, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) Similar language changes and policies have been approved in Berkeley, Oakland and San Jose. Originally Published: December 5, 2024 at 6:04 AM PST

A Hesperia man who spent nearly five years in jail for suspected child molestation but was acquitted a year ago at trial is suing a San Bernardino County prosecutor and sheriff’s detectives for wrongfully accusing him. Pedro Martinez, a former janitor at Maple Elementary School in Hesperia, says the case against him was based on the “fantastical claims” of an admitted opioid addict who had an extensive history of fabricating similar accusations against others, according to the lawsuit filed Monday, Dec. 2, in U.S. District Court in Riverside on behalf of Martinez and his wife, Juliette Mondragon de Martinez. The lawsuit, which alleges Fourth and Fourteenth amendment violations of due process, fabrication of evidence and other wrongdoing, names as defendants the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, sheriff’s Deputies Josette Tracy, Brian Arias, and Jonathan Womelsdorf, and Deputy District Attorney Deena Pribble. A spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Department declined to comment Wednesday, citing the ongoing litigation. The District Attorney’s Office also declined to comment. The lawsuit also names as a defendant Paul Matiasic, a personal injury attorney who is representing the family of one of Martinez’s

TODAY’S WORD — LOCUTION LOCUTION: lo-KYOO-shun: A particular form of expression or a peculiarity of phrasing. Average mark 26 words Time limit 40 minutes Can you find 32 or more words in LOCUTION? The list will be published tomorrow. YESTERDAY’S WORD — MENORAH: mane manor mare mean moan moaner more morn earn enamor name namer near norm omen ramen ream roam roan aeon aero ahem amen hare harem harm hear hero heron hoar hoer home homer hone hora horn To purchase the Word Game book, visit WordGameBooks.com. Order it now for just $5 while supplies last! RULES OF THE GAME: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” are not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed. Contact Word Game creator Kathleen Saxe at kzsaxe@gmail.com.

Dear Eric: I’m 65 and have always had a cordial but not loving relationship with my 64-year-old sister, as our parents never encouraged their children to be loving to one another. Last month, my nephew was married in a civil ceremony at my sister’s Midwest home due to an immigration requirement relating to his now-wife. Because we received notice of the date of the wedding one month before the ceremony, I could not get coverage at work. Thus, my wife and daughter attended in my absence. My sister is now planning a second wedding for the couple in Hawaii. We were asked to commit (nine months before the date). We said we were uncertain as I can’t confirm I will be able to arrange coverage yet. We received a vile letter from my sister, stating my wife crashed the first wedding (according to my sister she wasn’t invited) and it was my duty to attend irrespective of the distance and time of the year. How do we explain Hawaii requires two flights from the East Coast, the wedding is scheduled in the heat of the

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have been trying to declutter my home for months, focusing on makeup, dresses and other items that no longer serve a purpose, but I keep getting stuck. Every time I start sorting through my belongings, I find myself emotionally attached to certain things, even though they’re no longer necessary. The challenge is especially difficult with items that were given to me by my ex-boyfriend, whom I loved deeply. These things hold sentimental value, and letting them go feels like letting go of a part of my past, which I’m still trying to move on from. I know that decluttering would bring me peace and a sense of accomplishment, but my attachment to the past — particularly these items — is making it hard to move forward. — Decluttering Dilemma DEAR DECLUTTERING DILEMMA: Consider hiring a decluttering specialist to come into your home and work with you to purge those things that no longer serve you. Things often carry emotional weight and can be hard to relinquish, but an outsider — especially a professional who has no attachment to these items — may

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I was raised to believe it is rude to point, especially in public. When I was married, my spouse had a habit of pointing, whether in a crowded room or on the street. I tried to gently suggest that the action was rude, but he was adamant that no such rule existed. I have looked for support in etiquette books and have come up empty-handed. For my own peace of mind, what is your opinion on this? GENTLE READER: You are, in general, correct. But as you were kind enough to give fair warning that your interest is not disinterested, Miss Manners will add that there are exceptions — such as pointing at the truck speeding towards your former spouse as you warn him to get out of the way. Should you be so inclined. DEAR MISS MANNERS: I just started a new job, and a group text chat was created for us to communicate about our shift availability. However, employees have begun using this chat for small talk. I can’t simply mute it, because I might miss important work information. They’re

OAKLAND – When Ellijah Washington, decked out in a crisp purple-and-white Castlemont jacket and an Oregon State hat, signed his name on the dotted line, he was doing more than officially committing to the Pac-12 program on Wednesday night. He was keeping a promise that he had made his father – and coach – Ed Washington before starting his freshman year at the Oakland public school.  After Ed had driven his eldest son to different private schools, with the option to attend any of them, Ellijah decided he wanted to prove that a kid from East Oakland could go from a local public school to a major college football team.  “This shows that it can be done,” Ellijah Washington told the Bay Area News Group. “A lot of people thought it couldn’t.” At some schools, signing day ceremonies featuring major college programs is the norm. Not at Castlemont. Washington is the first student-athlete from the East Oakland high school in recent memory to commit to a college of Oregon State’s caliber. 16 years ago, linebacker Chris Little signed with Cal. And back in 1984, Marcus

SAN JOSE – A suspect was arrested last week in connection with a car-to-car shooting Halloween night in San Jose, police said. The shooting happened around 10:25 p.m. on Oct. 31 near Peach Court and 24th Street, San Jose police Officer Tanya Hernandez said in a news release Wednesday. “The suspect was driving behind the victim’s vehicle and shot at the victim unprovoked, striking the vehicle,” Hernandez said. No one in the vehicle was injured. Detectives identified the primary suspect as a 19-year-old San Jose man and later obtained arrest and search warrants. On Nov. 26, police arrested the suspect in Colma, Hernandez said, adding that a search of his vehicle and residence turned up a loaded privately manufactured firearm, ammunition and a device to reduce recoil. The suspect was booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail on felony charges including shooting at an occupied vehicle and brandishing a firearm, Hernandez said. Anyone with information related to the case can contact Detective Tong at 408-277-4164 or 4774@sanjoseca.gov. Tips can also be left with Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers at 408-947-7867 or at siliconvalleycrimestoppers.org. Originally Published:

Stanford lost two quarterbacks to the transfer portal and added a four-star recruit at the position Wednesday while Cal missed out on a top QB recruit on national signing day. Ashton Daniels, the Cardinal’s starting quarterback this season, announced Wednesday that he will be transferring away from The Farm, following backup Justin Lamson out the door. As a junior, Daniels passed for 1,700 yards, 10 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while adding 669 yards and three touchdowns as a rusher. He debuted as a freshman in 2022 in a limited role in David Shaw’s last season and started the majority of the last two seasons under coach Troy Taylor. Daniels, a three-star recruit from Buford, Georgia, could be heading closer to home for his next stop. Lamson, the Cardinal’s wildcat quarterback, announced his plans to enter the portal earlier in the week after two seasons at Stanford, where he transferred from Syracuse in 2023. Lamson will be a graduate transfer completing 24-of-47 attempts this season for 804 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions this season. He was used as a runner in short-yardage situations, rushing 68

Neither Steph Curry nor Draymond Green will suit up against the Rockets at the Chase Center on Thursday night, a major blow to the Warriors as they try to snap a five-game losing skid. Curry is listed as out with bilateral knee injury management; he missed a game last week for the same ailment, colloquially known as runner’s knee. Green, meanwhile, got an MRI on Wednesday in the Bay Area and will miss his second straight game with left calf tightness. “This is what it’s going to be with our team at this point in Draymond and Steph’s respective careers,” head coach Steve Kerr said on Dec. 2. “Got to try to keep their minutes down the best we can, try to keep them healthy by being proactive. If they’re dealing with nagging injuries, like Steph’s knees last week and like Draymond’s calf now, we’ve got to manage it all.” Thursday night will be the first time this season the Warriors have played without both Curry and Green. De’Anthony Melton, who underwent surgery on his partially torn ACL Wednesday in Los Angeles, is out for

Bay Area Home Report 325 Channing Avenue – Google Street View A 1,465-square-foot condominium built in 2004 has changed hands. The property located in the 300 block of Channing Avenue in Palo Alto was sold on Oct. 18, 2024. The $2,750,000 purchase price works out to $1,877 per square foot. The layout of this condominium includes two bedrooms and two baths. The property occupies a lot of 1,425 square feet. Additional units that have recently been sold close by include: In October 2023, a 1,546-square-foot unit on Homer Avenue in Palo Alto sold for $2,400,000, a price per square foot of $1,552. The unit has 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. On Homer Avenue, Palo Alto, in July 2023, a 1,522-square-foot unit was sold for $2,341,000, a price per square foot of $1,538. The unit has 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. A 1,544-square-foot unit on the 300 block of Homer Avenue in Palo Alto sold in June 2023, for $2,325,000, a price per square foot of $1,506. The unit has 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. This article was generated by the Bay Area Home Report Bot

Zach Bryan and Kings of Leon are set to perform at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco on Aug. 15, 2025. It’s the latest edition in the Golden Gate Park Concert series, which is presented by Berkeley-based promoter Another Planet Entertainment and happens the weekend after the popular Outside Lands Music Festival takes place at the same site. Tickets are $199.70-$479.70 and go on sale at noon Dec. 6 at GoldenGateParkConcerts.com. The show, which is produced in association with AEG, will run from 3 to 10 p.m. More acts are expected to be announced. This is the second year for this post-Outside Lands series, which began in 2024 with a concert headlined by System of a Down. Zach Bryan, one of country music’s most popular artists, is currently finishing up “The Quittin’ Time Tour,” which found the singer performing at 85 arenas and stadiums across North America. The tour included a stop at Oakland Coliseum in May. Kings of Leon is an alt-rock troupe known for such hits as “Sex on Fire,” “Use Somebody” and “Notion.” “We’re beyond thrilled to bring Zach Bryan along with

By Joshua Goodman | Associated Press MIAMI — One of Colombia’s legendary drug lords and a key operator of the Medellin cocaine cartel has been released from a federal prison in the U.S. and is expected to be deported back home. Records from the U.S. Bureau of Prisons show that Fabio Ochoa Vásquez was released Tuesday after completing 25 years of a 30-year prison sentence. Ochoa, 67, and his older brothers amassed a fortune when cocaine started flooding the U.S. in the late 1970s and early 1980s, according to U.S. authorities, to the point that in 1987 they were included in the Forbes Magazine’s list of billionaires. Living in Miami, Ochoa ran a distribution center for the cocaine cartel once headed by Pablo Escobar. Although somewhat faded from memory as the center of the drug trade shifted from Colombia to Mexico, he resurfaced in the hit Netflix series “Narcos” true to form as the youngest son of an elite Medellin family into ranching and horse breeding that cut a sharp contrast with Escobar, who came from more humble roots. Ochoa was first indicted in the

As pressure mounts on embattled San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus to resign, the Board of Supervisors has finalized plans for a special election next year to decide — in what would be a Bay Area first –whether the board should be granted the authority to remove an elected sheriff. Corpus is under investigation for allegations of misconduct, corruption and workplace bullying, among other accusations. Independent auditor and retired Judge LaDoris Cordell released a scathing 400-page report last month that upheld 12 of 15 findings related to the allegations. The San Mateo supervisors issued a vote of no confidence in the sheriff and called for her resignation, as have two sheriffs unions, congressional and state leaders, and the city of San Carlos. The measure, if passed by voters, would allow the board to remove an elected sheriff for cause with a four-fifths vote, following written notice and an opportunity for the sheriff to be heard, according to the ordinance passed this week. While supervisors in other Bay Area counties have faced tensions with their sheriffs, none have pursued the authority to remove one. In 2022, Los

FREMONT — With little public opposition, the Fremont City Council voted unanimously to approve a 2% raise for police officers Tuesday night in an attempt to retain officers and attract applicants. The raise, which went into effect following Tuesday’s vote, was brought forward by Councilman Raj Salwan, who soon will be sworn in as mayor after winning the November election. Officials in Fremont, like many other cities throughout the region, have claimed that officers continue to flee to other jurisdictions because of lack of competitive pay. After a handful of officers left Fremont this year, the Fremont Police Association’s president Alexander Gregory called the move a “step forward.” After Salwan first suggested the raises in September, Fremont police lost two officers to Livermore and Santa Clara police departments, Gregory added. Annually, Fremont loses about eight officers, Gregory said. “Given the competitive nature of our salaries throughout the Bay Area, we’re hoping that this action stems the tide, and we’re hoping that we’re able to retain officers,” Gregory said Wednesday. Prior to Tuesday, the only opposition to the raises on council was former Councilwoman Jenny Kassan

The leaders of five Bay Area food banks gathered in San Jose on Tuesday to sound the alarm that the safety net their organizations provide for the community is in serious danger. “We are facing the most challenging time in our history,” Second Harvest of Silicon Valley CEO Leslie Bacho said. The need for food assistance is back to the historic highs we saw at the height of the pandemic, yet financial support is down significantly. It is not keeping pace with the demand.” Second Harvest of Silicon Valley CEO Leslie Bacho talks about the decline in donations and government funding for Bay Area food banks on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024, at Second Harvest’s headquarters in North San Jose. Allison Goodwin, CEO of Redwood Empire Food Bank, and Caitlin Sly, CEO of Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, are standing at right. (Sal Pizarro/Bay Area News Group)  Bacho was joined at Second Harvest’s North San Jose headquarters by Tanis Crosby, executive director of the SF-Marin Food Bank; Regi Young, executive director of the Alameda County Community Food Bank; Food Bank of Contra Costa and

SANTA CLARA — When Isaac Guerendo trots onto the field with the first team Sunday at Levi’s Stadium, he will equal the same number of starts he had in five years of college football. Hard to believe, but Guerendo started exactly one time, and it came in his final college game at Louisville. Against USC in the Holiday Bowl, Guerendo carried 23 times for 161 yards and three touchdowns and added five receptions in a 42-28 loss. In 40 other games at Wisconsin and Louisville, Guerendo played in a shared backfield –something he’s done with the 49ers this season behind Jordan Mason and Christian McCaffrey. With McCaffrey on injured reserve with a PCL strain and Mason to follow soon with a high ankle sprain, Guerendo should get his biggest workload since his last college game. “I’m excited, but really it’s whatever it takes to win,” Guerendo said Wednesday as the 49ers (5-7) began preparations to host the Bears (4-8). “Whatever the plan looks like is what we’ll bring.” Guerendo will be backed up by Patrick Taylor Jr., who was on the roster earlier this season

With the jury set to begin deliberations in Santa Clara Vice Mayor Anthony Becker’s trial this week, his attorneys made a last-minute effort to have his case thrown out — a move the judge emphatically denied. Becker’s trial is nearing the end after the final day of testimony wrapped up on Tuesday in Santa Clara County Superior Court in Morgan Hill. The vice mayor — who was indicted in April 2023 for allegedly leaking a copy of a civil grand jury report several days before it was public, and perjury for allegedly lying about it under oath — ultimately decided not to take the stand. Becker’s legal team filed two separate motions on Tuesday — the first requesting Judge Javier Alcala toss the case, arguing the prosecution failed to present “substantial evidence,” and the second asking for a mistrial on the “grounds that the destroyed, late discovered and excluded evidence in this case and questioning of witnesses” are prejudiced. Alcala denied the first motion late Tuesday afternoon with little explanation. The judge is expected to rule on the mistrial motion sometime Wednesday afternoon. In the

OAKLAND — BART riders will soon have to pay more to ride. The 5.5 percent increase — which means fares will increase on average by 25 cents from $4.47 to $4.72 — is effective on New Year’s Day. “We understand that price increases are never welcome, but BART fares remain a vital source of funds even with ridership lower than they were before the pandemic,” BART Board Vice President Mark Foley said in the press release. “My Board colleagues and I voted in June 2023 to spread necessary fare increases over two years rather than catching up all at once. At the same time, we voted to increase the Clipper START means-based discount from 20 percent to 50 percent to help those most in need.” Even with the fare increase, BART is staring down a 2026 fiscal year deficit of $35 million, and transit officials say it will grow to a staggering $385 million in the 2027 fiscal year. BART officials say the deficit is due in part to ridership dropping off during the coronavirus pandemic and not rebounding since, as remote work has become